Melbourne

Melbourne is the oft claimed “cultural capital of Australia” – whether this is true or not, it certainly has a wealth of amazing galleries, sights and opportunities for artists. From street art friendly laneways, art events and with an art friendly population, its hard to beat Melbourne for sheer output. Pushing the new waves of low brow, street art and nu-contempotary are galleries such as RTIST and Artboy Galleries in Prahran, Backwoods Gallery in Collingwood, Metro in Armadale, Paradise Hills in Richmond, Darkhorse and No Vacancy in the city, and many more …

This would have to be one of my favourite walls so far this year and the key word is collaboration, artists such as Bryan Itch, Mike Makatron, Plea, Damon Soule, Nitsua, Adam Paquette, Stiff Ives and Sparkles, all came together to create something pretty special.

It’s always good catching up with these two amazing artists Dvate and Smug, I came across them in Fitzroy where the two have painted many times before, so it was good to see their two unique style come together.

Check it out the next time you are in Fitzroy and while you there have a wonder around and look at the art filled streets of Fitzroy and Collingwood, you won’t be disappointed.

I had the chance to watch Sofles painting his massive mural the other week, and yet another change on Saturday night to see his amazing work brought to life by Grant Obsbornes incredible graffiti mapping projections. Put together under the mad and rad creative direction of Shaun Hossask from Juddy Roller, if you weren’t in Melbourne, and didnt get to see it yourself (you missed out!), then you now have that chance!!

Brilliant video once again from Selina Miles as well – she never, ever disappoints with these. Lets also not forget the rad soundtrack by Opiou!

Watch the whole process and end result in all its glory below!

From the press release –

“On Saturday the 21st of February, Sofles – Graffiti Mapped premiered at Melbourne’s largest cultural festival, White Night Melbourne. Attended by over 500,000 people and running from 7pm – 7am, the festival takes over Melbourne’s CBD for a one night only artistic extravaganza.

Many months in the making, Sofles – Graffiti Mapped is an innovative step forward for the world of graffiti and technology. Sofles – Graffiti Mapped explores the intrinsic connection between graffiti, street art and technology through a combination of 3D video mapping, traditional street art and graffiti techniques and motion design.

Over 5 stories high, Sofles’ inner city mural is his biggest work to date. Add to that Grant Osborne’s incredibly detailed motion design and a musical score by New Zealand music producer Opiuo, and you have a truly innovative work of art. Visible for one night only, but destined to leave an impression on the city’s skyline Sofles- Graffiti Mapped was one of the most exciting events of the entire White Night Melbourne festival.

This video has been shot and cut by the director of Sofles’ extremely successful previous video, Limitless, Selina Miles. “

Well, holy shitballs, this is an event that I’m pretty excited to stick up today, and one that I cant wait to see (and paint at!!). Another huge production will be going down in Collingwood next week, as the Paterson building gets a huge makeover from over a hundred Melbourne artists, check out the press …

“The Paterson Project will be one of Melbourne’s most exciting and important street art events in 2015. Elite talent from all over Australia will be painting together under one roof to raise money for The Royal Children’s Hospital Foundation with artworks to be auctioned off on the night. Housed inside the ‘Grand Lady’ of Smith Street, the Paterson building’s top three floors will be transformed into one giant canvas for more than 100 artists.

Melbourne is a vibrant and innovative place for street art culture, and events like The Paterson Project continue to promote its presence and notability in the global street art community.

The Paterson is a heritage listed building that is destined to be reincarnated as apartments. The history of the building spans over a century, and for the past forty years has remained a home to artists and musicians. This event will enable the local populace and the street art community to come together and celebrate the history and culture of the Paterson building. The Paterson Project will pay homage to the artistic passage of the site through the creation of new art and give the building the send off it deserves.

We hope you will join us at the Paterson building on the 6th of March to celebrate street art, urban culture and Melbourne’s art community. See some art, have a drink and help us reach our target of $15,000 for The Royal Children’s Hospital Foundation.”

Yeah, its a little sad that this grand old building being redeveloped is yet another sign of an increasingly gentrified Collingwood, but what a way to send it off before its reincarnation as (yet another) apartment block – and dear god, thats a lot of fkn art going up! With all of my favourite artists involved, this whole thing is going to be massively amazing.

So, head down on Friday the 6th March and check it all out – and, while you are there, buy yourself some of the art that will also be created and help raise a bunch of money for charity, there’ll be some amazing pieces coming out of this. See you all there!

We dont usually post up may photography exhibitions, but when we do its for a good reason – like this show coming up from Sam (KidKong) Wong and Jack Shelton, two of Melbournes rising street photography stars.

“LA- NY is a joint exhibition between Sam Wong and Jack Shelton. Taking a look at a colourful California set against a stark black and white New York. The project will take the form of a book Launch and exhibition as part of The Photo-book Melbourne 2015 festival, Melbourne’s very first international photo book festival.”

Head down to No Vacancy at QV in Melbourne this Friday night to see the show, and the mad ass photos that will be on display.

Back in Australia, and with a rumoured solo show coming up sometime in the future, Choq has been busy at work (as always), this time painting up a storm for 4 Pines brewery – checko out the video below!!

Next Friday be sure to get along to “Never Ending” an amazing show put together by Creature Creature, I helped launch these guys in Melbourne by curating their first solo show “Bruiser” at Chaotic Gallery over two years ago, its been a pleasure to work with and watch these guys on their journey with their unique style.

2015 is a big year for CreatureCreature as they prepare their next elaborate solo show at No Vacancy QV Gallery. Running from January 28 through to February 8, Never Ending is curated by Joshua Smith of Espionage Gallery and will officially launch on Friday January 30 at 6pm.

CreatureCreature is the artist duo Chanel Tang and Ambrose Rehorek who together play with concepts of duality, East meets West mentality, and the natural world. They first met at university studying fine art and commercial graphic design and as they ‘flirted their way through drawing’ formed an official union in 2011 under one name, CreatureCreature.

Since then, they have worked together creating murals in the south in the front office spaces of Revolver Creative, exhibiting at Chaotic Gallery in 2013, Just Another Agency and Rtist Gallery.

The new collection ‘Never Ending’ will showcase all their skills to date — a blend of illustration and design with strong historical Japanese references, mixed with a love of street art and contemporary symbols. It is heavily inspired by the feeling of movement and freedom in skate culture along with music produced by beat-makers who mix hip hop with a traditional Japanese atmospheric ideals. Chanel excitedly reveals “… Expect everything from drawings and paintings, to skate decks, vinyl toys, t-shirts and small installations.”

This summer Marian Machismo brings you ‘Get Rich Or Try Dying’, a coming of age exploration of a non linear generation, visually characterised by Sub- Cultural Symbolism and Generational Drag.

The Cultural Huckster has returned to Just Another Project Space with a new term she affectionally coined “Generational Drag”.

Get Rich Or Try Dying stands as an exploration of a previously undefined cultural phenomenon, a visitation of an idea and an account of the fashion of stylisation of a generation undefined by accepted norms.

With puns so sweet you will want to lick the wrapper, references that borderline nostalgia and a flair for performance, this is one show you will not want to miss.

Join us on the Super Sweet 16th of January from 6-9pm at the Just Another Project Space 2A/127 Greville Street, Prahran (entry off Grattan Street).

Next week sees an amazing show from Melbourne based artist Kaff-Ein, so come down and show your support for Kaff as she is about to embark on an incredible journey.
Kaff-eine is one of Australia’s premiere female street and contemporary artists. She paints her distinctive characters on walls around the globe, immersing herself in local communities and sharing their stories on their walls. While painting street murals in Manila shantytowns in 2013, Kaff-eine learned that some of Manila’s most impoverished slum communities lived on Manila’s garbage dumps, scavenging wood to burn for charcoal, picking through the toxic garbage, selling recyclables or creating recycled products from waste.
She was struck by the creativity, resilience, positivity and skill of these communities, who created beautiful objects and valuable resources in the most challenging conditions; she wanted to work with them, to share their strengths, stories and humanity with audiences far from the Manila slums.
Kalabaw is the special prelude to two extraordinary collaborative projects Kaff-eine will soon undertake with Manila’s garbage-picking and charcoal-making communities. For Kalabaw, Kaff-eine has created a collection of powerful portraits combining her signature street-based style with intricate realism, her human and kalabaw characters radiating the same resilience, tenderness and dignity that they do in reality.
All proceeds from the Kalabaw exhibition will support Kaff-eine’s two subsequent collaborative projects with the communities who live from Manila’s garbage.

Welcome To Invurt

Invurt webzine provides information on AustralAsian street, urban, illustrative, graffiti and other genre defying, nu-contemporary art to readers around the world. It specialises in events and artists who are working, displaying and visiting Australasia – particularly with a focus on exhibitions, live art and other events the artists are partaking in.